Different dispositions and constructional principles are known for escalator drives. Since the drive must be designed for the maximally occurring load, a relatively large and strongly dimensioned motor with a corresponding gear is necessary. Poor efficiency at the mostly prevailing partial load and the large installation volume in the case of limited space availability within an escalator construction are disadvantages of such a drive.
These disadvantages are present to a lesser degree or not at all with multi-motor drives. Such a drive for escalators and walkways, which comprises two individual drives or two twin drives, the output gearwheels of which drive the stair chain or the plate chain and, by way of an additional gear, the handrail, is known from DE 35 26 905.
Such a construction is executed in different variants and correspondingly comprises a number of different gears and gear housings for the stair chain drive or the plate chain drive. Furthermore, the individual drives are equipped with planetary gears, which causes relatively high costs.
The object of the present invention is to create an improved multi-motor drive for escalators, which can be implemented at favorable costs, which may be built up in a modular manner, and which covers a usual performance range.